Three members of one of America's most cherished Gospel music families died on Friday in a plane crash.
Jason Clark, Kelly Nelon Clark and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler of The Nelons were en route to perform on the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska when their plane crashed. The crash claimed their lives as well as Amber's husband Nathan Kistler, their assistant Melodi Hodges, the pilot Larry Haynie and his wife Melissa.
Kelly and Jason's youngest daughter Autumn Nelon Streetmen and her husband took a different flight. They learned about the crash in Seattle, where the cruise was leaving from.
“As many of you have heard by now, my father and mother, Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, along with my sister, Amber, and brother-in-law, Nathan, as well as our dear friends Melodi Hodges, Larry, and Melissa Haynie, were involved in a tragic plane crash on Friday. Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love, and support as we navigate the coming days," said Autumn Nelon Streetman in a statement.
According to officials in Campbell County, Wyoming, on July 26, they got word that a plane carrying seven people had crashed around 1:00 p.m. The crash caused a wildland fire near the remote crash site. According to reports, an autopilot issue may have caused the crash.
Scripps News Billings reported that the group was flying in a single-engine Pilatus PC-12/47E. It left Nebraska City Municipal Airport at 11:00 a.m. MDT and was headed for Billings. The plane originated from the West Georgia Regional Airport in Carrollton, Georgia.
The Nelons are Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame members as well as winners of multiple Dove Awards. Most recently, the group won Bluegrass/Country/Roots Recorded Song Of The Year in 2021 for "If God Pulled Back the Curtain."
“The Daywind Music Group family is devastated by the news of the passing of several members of The Nelons in a plane crash on Friday ... In this time of unimaginable grief for these families, we know that our beloved artist and their friends are in the arms of Jesus Christ whom the Nelons spent their entire careers singing about as they spread His Gospel around the world. We stand on His promises today as we grieve the loss of our precious Daywind family members," said Daywind Music Group’s Ed Leonard.
Earlier this summer, The Nelons announced new music would be coming out at the end of August.
This was originally published by Hannah McDonald at Scripps News Nashville.
